A New Opponent
by TheMerriweatherMage
Summary: What would happen if Cutler Beckett had an opponent? More specifically, what if it was a woman? Will an old childhood figure change the path of the East India Trading Company? Will she change Beckett's heart?
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean or Lord of the Rings.

* * *

><p>It all started in the beginning…<p>

The king and queen of Spain had two daughters. One was named Marina Chavez. She was delicate and prissy and all sorts of feminine. The other was named Salena Chavez, and despite her feminine raisings, was even more so a tomboy than any of the boys that lived around.

_*Flashback*_

_When Elizabeth Swann was just a wee girl, sailing on the ship with Captain Norrington and her father, she met Will Turner, a boy they'd rescued from a pillaging. And when she returned to her house, she was in for a rude awakening. _

_ "Elizabeth dear, meet Salena and Marina Chavez. They're here to stay with us for a while due to some troubles in Spain," her father said gently. Salena would have none of it. _

_ "You're not my father! You can't tell me what to do!" And with that she ran out after her parents. "Father, you can't make me stay here! I'm old enough. Let me fight in the war too!"_

_ "Sal, I'm afraid I can't let you do that. War is dangerous. You might get hurt or even killed. Please stay here and be a good girl for us. I'm sure you'll make some new friends. Now go." Her father kissed the top of her head and sent her off._

_ "Tch… Little girl whining for her father? How pathetic." A young boy no older than her stood on the docks, watching the ship sail away._

_ "Pathetic my bonny rear end." She jumped on him, rolling on the ground in a scuffle. He had a pug face, and it was all Salena could do to stop from smashing it in._

_ "Ian Mercer! Stop that this instant! Let the child go." He had a solid grip in her hair. Salena looked to the voice, two other boys about the same age. They both wore disgusted looks on their faces. "You shouldn't associate with the local villager's riff-raff."_

_ "I'm not riff-raff. My father is the king of Spain! And besides, I started it."_

_ "Princess Chavez, Princess Chavez! Are you alright?!" Two of the dock guards separated the two._

_ "Please, drop the fancy title. Call me Salena. I'm not a spoiled brat like him." She pointed to the boy who had called her "riff-raff"._

_ "Master Beckett, Master Norrington, and Master Mercer, your parents shall hear of this." One of the guards said sternly._

_ "Don't bother. He couldn't hurt me if he tried." She pulled out a small knife hidden in her boot. "This would have stopped him."_

_ "Ms. Salena, you shouldn't carry that around."_

_ "Don't call me miss. If I had been born a boy, life would have been a lot easier. But it's not, is it?"_

_ "Young ladies shouldn't wish for such things." The boy, Beckett, she thought he was called. Salena stared at him._

_ "Don't make me hurt you, boy. My father taught me to swordfight, shoot a gun, and ride a horse. Anything you can do, I can do better."_

_ Beckett stepped up to her. "There's a festival tomorrow. I think to celebrate the arrival of the two Chavez princesses in Port Royale. There'll be sword-fighting and target practice and horse racing. See if you can beat us. If you come out on top, you can join with us. If not, get lost."_

_ "It's on, cutie." With that she ruffled his hair as she brushed past him. There was a sound of disgust as she left the three behind._

_ *End Flashback*_

"Marina, you must stay here, really. Spain is such a savage place." Elizabeth pleaded with her friend.

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth, but I really must return. The king and queen were killed in the raids, and I'm next in line for the throne. I must go."

"Please share a little bit of good news. Tell me you're taking your sister with you. She's such a horrid beast."

"Dear Elizabeth, I'd prefer you not to call my sister a horrid beast. Whilst she is a tomboy, yes, I think I can find a good use for her back in Spain." Marina smiled at her dear friend.

"Safe travels my dear. May the skies be clear and may you have a fair wind." Marina took her and Salena's things to the ship.

"Sal! Let's go!" She called.

"Stow it, Rina," Salena said, from her place on the railing. "I'm already here."

"Must you be so rude, dear sister?" Salena quirked an eyebrow at her sister. "Are you moping because you have to leave your precious boys behind?" Salena growled in her direction. Cutler Beckett was next in line for assuming the trade of the East India Trading Company. She wanted to be with him in the ceremonies today. It was important. Beckett was to become commodore today. She looked to the edge of the ship longingly.

"Oh Beckett." Mercer came trotting down to the docks.

"Be on with yourself." He smirked in her direction.

"And what of Beckett? Will you tell him I said goodbye?" Mercer jumped onto the ship, cocking a gun to her throat.

"Beckett does not need the likes of you to be hanging around him. He does not need you. I shan't be telling him anything." Behind Sal, Marina was frozen.

"Sal." She breathed out, wringing her hands nervously. "Please, Mr. Mercer, my sister means you no harm. We do not wish to trouble you with such frivolous requests. Please leave our presences immediately." He moved the gun slightly to the side.

"Two sisters. One stone. Sounds like a fair deal to me." Salena's eyes widened as the gun went off. One of the crewmen that had been loyal to their parents lay on the deck dead. So that was how it was to be. Protection for the younger, prissy sister and none for the tough girl. She held a kerchief to her bleeding neck. Marina was screaming at the fright of near death.

"Shut up, Marina!" She grabbed the dead crewman's gun and pointed it at Mercer. "You! Get off my ship! NOW!"

"You cannot order me around!" Mercer sneered. Salena turned around and flipped open a box one of the crewmen was holding. Grabbing the crown out of the box, she turned to him and laughed.

"As the eldest queen of Spain, I can now. I order you to be off my ship! Off! Now!" She set the crown on her head sloppily as blood ran through the thin kerchief on her neck. She looked to be a bit crazed and Mercer backed away slowly. "Be off!" As she advanced, he turned, tail between his legs, and jumped overboard, swimming to shore. "Cast off, men. We've no need to stay in this horrid place anymore."


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean. Thank Disney for that. I do own Salena Chavez/Charlotte Darkhawk, Shikara, and Shikako.

That being said, this chapter starts right in the middle of the third movie, but it will "skip" back and forth with the flashbacks.

Beckett, Jones, and Will were stationed on the farthest side of the little island. Barbossa, Jack, and Elizabeth came sauntering along with another trailing behind.

Will started. "I didn't think that they'd bring along another. This will prove to rile things up." He laid his hand against his pistol, aiming to kill the intruder, but Beckett stopped him.

"If we kill them, the plan will go up in flames," he murmured quietly, causing Will to stop in his tracks.

"You be the cur that led these wolves to our door." Barbossa accused Will vehemently.

"Pah." The pirate behind them spat in the sand. "That was Jackie's idea." Jack proceeded to glare at them. Barbossa rolled his eyes as Beckett held up the compass.

"Actually, it was. You made a deal with me, Jack, to deliver the pirates. And here they are. Don't be bashful. Step up. Claim your reward." Beckett smirked in their direction.

"Your debt to me is still to be satisfied. 100 years aboard the _Dutchman_… as a start." Jones snarled.

"That debt was paid, mate… with some help." Jack gestured to Elizabeth. Her eyes widened as she took in the situation.

"I propose an exchange." Now she had everyone's attention. "Will leaves with us… and you can take Jack."

"Done," Will said, seeing it as an easy way out. Jack panicked.

"Undone," he said indignantly.

"Done!" Beckett's word ran through on the deal.

"And what of me?" The other pirate huffed, rattling the cuffs around their wrists. Barbossa glanced around.

"You can have her too, mate." He un-cuffed her and flung her to the ground in front of Beckett.

"You'll pay for that, Captain Barbossa!" she spat, springing up, her hand on her cutlass.

"You're a traitor to the Brethren Court!"

"Pirata!" She hissed. "Charlotte Darkhawk, Spanish Corsair, but also Salena Chavez, Lord of the Spanish Armada and captain of the _Outlaw_ _Queen_."

Jack paled somewhat at the mention of the ship. Beckett had never heard of it before. But Salena Chavez… now that was something worth investigating. For Jack's point of view, the _Outlaw_ _Queen_ was not a ship to be reckoned with. She had black sails, like the _Black_ _Pearl_, but she was the size of Beckett's _Endeavor_ with all the cannons and weaponry to boot. Part of his crew had run away to crew with her and was never heard from again. But the Spanish Armada? That was new. He never suspected it. Salena Chavez was a well-known name in trading. Probably because the man owned his own trading company, the South Storm Trading Company, (SSTC), under the queen of Spain, Marina Chavez. Not only was Salena Chavez royalty, his business was very lucrative due to the fact that pirates didn't dare cross it and spent most of their time plundering the EITC ships. All pirates knew of Salena Chavez, and the ones that met him didn't live to tell the tale.

Charlotte chuckled. "Good choice, mate." She stood beside Beckett, tucking a few strands of hair away. "I prefer that you keep it to your crew that I'm a male. My name is Charles Smith. I was a stowaway aboard the _Dutchman_, found myself in this mess, and wanted to join your crew. Savvy?" Beckett could only nod mutely in response. She went up to Jones with no fear whatsoever.

"Hello, Davy." Charlotte spoke to the monster calmly as if it were a normal thing.

"Hello, Captain Darkhawk."

"How's my beloved Shikara doing?" Jones immediately looked troubled and sad.

"He's dead. Beckett made me beach him." All of a sudden, Beckett was very much in trouble. One pair of murderous eyes were pinned and zeroed in on him, followed by a slap he wasn't expecting.

"You made Davy beach my kraken? My beloved Shikara?"

"How was I to know it was yours?" With a sudden fury, she raised her arm to punch him, he thought, but got the worst surprise of his life when a miniature kraken rose up out of the water.

"Shikako, Davy. Davy, Shikako. He's just a baby, so take good care of him. Oh, and Shikako?" The kraken paused in the middle of giving her a slimy hug with a tentacle. "Go eat one of Beckett's ships." He swam away happily.

"You train those things?" Beckett shuddered.

"I don't train them. I raise them from birth. And they aren't "things". They are krakens. They have feelings too." In the midst of all this, Will had slipped away with Barbossa and Elizabeth, leaving Jack for Jones.

"Well, I leave Jack to you, my love. And um, you want me to keep the chest for safekeeping?" Davy nodded at her simple request, and, out of nowhere, pulled it out and handed it to her.

"Well then, Mr. Smith, we should be leaving." Beckett wheeled around and headed for his ship while Davy left with Jack. She climbed aboard the ship easy with Beckett tailing her. "Gentlemen, we have a new crew member accompanying us. This is Mr. Charles Smith. Commodore, please show him to your quarters and give him a change of clothes." The man nodded and led "Mr. Smith" to his quarters, now to be shared with the newcomer. Shoving a change of clothes into "his" arms, he left to attend to other duties. Charlotte changed, glad that the size of the clothes covered… her more feminine features. She pulled on the wig and hat, quickly depositing of her other clothes. She kept her boots though, because they were custom-made with pockets to hide small daggers or other trinkets.

Walking outside, she took a deep breath of the sea air.

"Mr. Smith?" She looked up to see the commodore at the railing.

"Commodore?" She went up to him.

"Your speciality?"

"Captain, sir."

"We just lost ours. He's aboard the _Dutchman_. Cover for him."

"Yes sir. But mate, if he's on the _Dutchman_, he won't be coming back alive." She merely received a grunt as he went along his way. A blue and yellow clad figure swung aboard from the _Dutchman_. Charlotte turned.

"Admiral Norrington?" James immediately caught on to her disguise.

"Mr. Smith, are you well?" He questioned.

"I am that, mate. How are you injuries?" She was referring to a stab wound he had received earlier.

"They are well, thanks to your assistance." Charlie sighed.

"Beckett looks troubled." James turned to face her.

"Does he know?" he asked. She nodded. "And curiosity gets the better of me? How?"

"That sniveling cur Barbossa thought it'd be a good idea to hand me over as being a traitor to the Brethren Court. Blew my cover… and my temper."

"So who got hit?" She snorted.

"Beckett."

"You hit Lord Beckett?" She detected a small bit of incredulity in his voice.

"Aye. He ordered Davy to beach my kraken. Poor Shikara." It was then that they both noticed all the crew staring at them, wide-eyed.

"It's no use hiding yourself now, miss." One of the crew sneered at her.

"Oi! Get back to work, you slimy git, or I'll send Davy Jones after you." She pulled off her wig and set her hat on her head sloppily. The crew scattered.

"Hey, Bear…" she called out, using an old nickname for the commodore. "… Tell Davy to bring up my ship." The commodore left in a hurry, not wanting to become fish food.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean. Thank Disney for that. I do own Salena Chavez/Charlotte Darkhawk, Marina Chavez, Jacob Beckett, and Dakota Beckett.

"So what? You're working for Beckett now?" Norrington asked.

"For the moment, Wolf, for the moment."

"What's Beckett's new name?" Charlie paused in her musing.

"Fox. Now I have Fox, Bear, and Wolf." He leaned against the railing.

"Picking up some new recruits?"

"Perhaps. I'll probably stop by Port Royale on the way back home. Pick up a few supplies, maybe a case of wine and some animals."

"Not stopping by Tortuga for recruits?"

"Ha! With this name? If I walked into Tortuga, everyone would stop and run."

"So if I walked into Tortuga, they'd stop and run?" Suddenly Beckett was in their conversation. Charlie let out a very un-feminine snort.

"If you walked into Tortuga with your name, they'd shoot you on sight."

"And why is that? What is it you have that I don't?" Beckett was growing agitated.

"A reputation for sniping pirates, and the Armada to back you up, and a few feminine wiles and a pretty dress." The last statement cause Norrington to stifle a few chuckles, earning him a glare from Beckett.

"It's not feminine wiles. It's prestige and power and…"

"And you can stow it because I'm not listening to you blabber on about something you don't even know." She seemed unfazed by his position and anger.

"How DARE you? I am Lord Beckett."

"Yari, yari, yari. Yeah, I know. Lord Cutler Henry Beckett, duly appointed representative of his majesty, the King of England, and lord of the East India Trading Company, which isn't much to speak of."

"And you?" Charlie didn't hesitate. She picked him up by his collar and slammed him against the mast. For a girl, she was pretty strong.

"I am Salena Chavez, the sister of Marina Chavez and the second queen of Spain. I am the Lord, or rather Lady, of the Spanish Armada. I control all the military forces in Spain, and I own the South Storm Trading Company. Consider yourself duly put back into place. The _Endeavor_… is under my command." And with that she dropped Beckett into a quivering heap on the deck. Everybody including Beckett was once again staring at her wide-eyed.

"Oi! Get BACK to work, you slimy git, or I SHALL send you to the locker myself." Her use of language and fervent shouting startled everyone, and as she looked over to the _Dutchman _to see Mercer and Jones both staring at her, as well. "Got to do what you got to do, mates." Davy Jones just shook his head.

"That's one girl I don't mess with," he said, turning to Mercer. The said man just rolled his eyes.

"There's not a person that can outsmart Lord Beckett. Nor one that can match him in strength."

"Your Lord Beckett hasn't pulled a blade on anybody. Seems he's a might bit of a coward." Unfortunately, Beckett heard that and in his rage, spat.

"I AM NOT A COWARD!" Charlie lost it and broke out into laughter.

"Oh that's a good one. Come up with that all by your onesies, did ya?" This statement infuriated Beckett.

"You've crewed with Sparrow before. That dog."

"Ha! I mean, old Jackie boy has crewed with me."

"Jack Sparrow? Crewed with you?" Beckett spluttered in rage.

"Yes, that would be correct. Jack and Teague Sparrow, the father-son duo crewed with me. He crewed with me until he stole the Crown's jewels, and I had a mind to send 'im straight to Davy myself."

The statement was something Jones perked up at.

"Why didn't ya send the Sparra over?"

"I would have. Till he run off on me and took my leading flagship. Then I had to go chase him 'round the coast of the Caribbean."

"Oh. Is the _Endeavor_ really under your command? Prove to us you are who you say you are." Mercer commanded. Charlie dropped the fun facade and stopped all fun and games. She pulled out a pistol.

"You are…" She shot without even looking, and the bullet hit a crew member straight between the eyes. "Annoying," She finished, not even bothering to check to body. "And now he's dead. Don't you remember me, Ian?" Mercer looked outraged.

Beckett looked perturbed.

"You just killed my best man."

"I didn't realize you were getting married." Charlie retorted, a bit of prankster showing.

"That's not what I meant and you know it, Ms. Chavez."

"It's Queen Chavez to you, Lord Beckett." Charlie smirked in his direction.

"I WILL NOT TOLERATE YOUR IMPUDENCE, FOOL!" Beckett pulled his sword in rage.

"You have a short temper for a man of your stature." She mindlessly pulled her own blade.

"And I expect you to face me when you're fighting me." Charlie looked to Beckett in surprise.

"Who said I'm fighting?" He started, and she took the opportunity to catch the braiding on the edge of the sword and jerk it out of his grip. "This is a fine sword. I expect Master Turner was blacksmith?" Beckett was furious.

"That's not a fair fight!"

"Oh? Pity."

"You will never find a husband with the way you act." Beckett stated plainly. Charlie looked to him, again in surprise.

"I'm not out husband-hunting. I'm looking for love." He was startled.

"I don't believe in love."

"No, obviously not. You're too proper for that. Ditch the wig and the clothes and the attitude, and you might hook yourself a nice gal in Tortuga, if you're lucky. That is… only if you're lucky. You definitely won't get a gal with class." Someone swung aboard the _Endeavor_ from Jones' ship.

"Oi, Sal! Is this guy bothering you?" A very opposite version of Beckett sauntered over. He was extremely well-built and tall, but still sported the classic Beckett features.

"No, Jacob, but thank you for your concern. Lord Beckett… meet Lord Beckett. I assume you two know each other?"

"Cutler. Yeah, I know the twig, commonly known as my younger brother." Cutler shot Jacob a dirty glare at this statement.

"How do you know my troublesome brother?" He asked Salena.

"Your "troublesome" brother works for the queens of Spain. And besides, I know your family. There was a bit of bad blood between my parents and your parents, but… the king of England actually tried to resolve that little issue by arranging marriage between me and Dakota Beckett."

"You and Dakota?" Beckett looked horrified.

"Yeah, that didn't work out. My sister fell in love with him and they got married. And had kids… troublesome kids. And then there's bad blood between me and Dakota. He insists on taking over my company, so he can teach his son business. His son is like six. I personally would not teach a six year-old business." Jacob looked peeved.

"Kids… they had kids. Why couldn't they have horses?"

"Horses are my department. His majesty doesn't like them." This earned another disgusted sound from Jacob.

"You don't want kids, Jacob?" Cutler addressed his brother curtly.

"I, personally, don't mind. Not mine anyways. My wife and I beg to differ on Dakota's children because they're spoiled brats."

"You're married." It was more like a statement than a question. Cutler pursed his lips together in a thin line.

"Yes. I have three of the little monsters running around. All under the age of five."

"Yeah… you could be like my father and cart me and my sister off to Port Royale in hopes of giving us an education on proper etiquette." The last three words were said with something akin to disdain.

"Obviously, it didn't work," Cutler muttered under his breath.

"I think your brother is funny." Salena chuckled.

"He wasn't meaning to be." Jacob chided.

"Yeah, that's what makes it funny. And what makes me an even better business-woman."

"Women don't belong in the business world. In fact, woman and business don't belong in the same sentence." Cutler smirked.

"First of all, that's a contradiction. You just put those two words in the same sentence. And secondly, as much as I'd like to chit-chat, um…" She pointed over her shoulder without even looking back. "Maelstrom." Like out of the blue, it started pouring down raining. Cutler cursed under his breath.

She looked over to the _Dutchman_ to find Davy fuming in his rage. "Be still, Davy. It's not the end of the world… yet."

"They've released Calypso. This world is doomed."

"No, Davy. She is safe. They cannot release her without the nine pieces of eight, and they do not have mine." Salena reprimanded him gently. "Stopping jumping to conclusions."

"My apologies, Salena. Your ship… is ready."

"Ja ne, boys." And with her farewell, she dove in the stormy waters.

"She's mad," Cutler said, his eyes widening. Jacob stood at the railing.

"No, she does that every time. Watch."

Suddenly a massive ship the size of the _Endeavor_ rose out of the water beside the _Dutchman_. Dripping wet with the sea water, Salena rode the helm proudly. The red lettering was bitterly embossed onto the side of the ship, reading_ Outlaw Queen_. Cutler sucked in his breath. The ship was huge, but she was also beautiful. Her words rang through his head. "_It's on, cutie._" Cutler actually found himself mildly blushing. Could the kid of so many years ago turn into this beautiful woman?


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean. Thank Disney for that. I do own Salena Chavez/Charlotte Darkhawk, Shikara, and Shikako.

"Oi, Beckett! Haul your pretty little self over here!" He was snapped out of his reverie, and he looked up to her.

"Why do you ask that?" Salena rolled her eyes.

"If only my sister knew of this. Your ship, my good sir, is most likely to be targeted later. Better you here now alive, than your dead body later." A jump later, and Cutler was on board her ship.

"Do you really think it will come to that?" Salena chuckled.

"It takes two to tango and better safe than sorry." He smiled.

"Two to tango? Is that your favorite line or something?"

_*Flashback*_

_The next day was the Festival at Port Royale, and true to their word, the trio was there, triumphantly smirking. _

_ "Salena Chavez, you don't really intend to compete against those boys, do you?" Marina asked, holding the edge of her dress. Salena ignored her. Dresses, pretty women, it just wasn't her thing. She was wearing breeches and a boy's shirt, despite her sister's (and the governor's) protest._

_ "Relax, Marina. While Mother was teaching you to be a girl, Father taught me to be a boy." She tossed a smirk in the boys' direction. Ian glowered in her direction. _

_ "You've already made enemies, Sal! And it isn't even your first week here!" Marina chided her, but once again Salena wasn't listening. She tied up her hair and laced up her boots, hoisting her tack over her shoulder in one smooth movement. _

_ "Don't be such a killjoy, Rina. I can handle myself just fine." She grabbed the horse's lead rope and led him to a post. "Come on, Dante. Let's show these boys how to kick up some dust." He nickered and nudged her. She started brushing him._

_ "Hey, we don't have all day!" Ian yelled. Salena looked over Dante's back. _

_ "That's because you don't have good relationships with your horses. I don't need a groom; my father taught me that brushing your horse is one of the best ways to get to know them." She finished the quick brushing and tacked him up. She led him into the ring and lined up with the others before mounting him. _

_ "One, one and a half, or two?" Beckett asked. Salena crossed her arms. _

_ "What is standard for you?" Beckett rolled his eyes. _

_ "All these horses have competed in the races and won." Salena snorted. Running a horse for two miles was dangerous for riders of her age._

_ "Nobody in their right minds will run a horse for two miles. So one and a half."_

_ "You're just too chicken to try it." Salena looked up._

_ "No, I don't want to lose Dante." _

_ "Dante? Interesting name for a horse." Beckett smiled._

_ "Like the book "Dante's Inferno"? Yeah, that's his show name. But Dante means endurance in Spain." Salena patted her horse. "Don't run your horse into the ground with your careless actions, Master Beckett." The smile was wiped off his face as the tension in the air rose._

_ "I'll do as I please with my horse!" The guns went off, and Dante paced himself at an easy run. The other three were long gone._

_ "Easy boy, save your strength for the last two." Dante snorted, seeming to understand her. He kept his pace until the boys started riding on his tail and passing him on the second lap. _

_ "I believe you forgot the purpose of this race. It's to win." Beckett smirked as he passed her._

_ "It take two to tango, you foolish child." She let Dante have at it, and the horse surged forward with speed. "Have at it, Dante." He easily caught up with the others and passed them in the fourth lap. He won, extremely easily. Beckett looked outraged, and so did Ian. Norrington, however, was more or less, checking out his horse, which was stamping nervously. She slid off and walked over to him._

_ "What seems to be the problem?" He jumped, grabbing the reins of his horse._

_ "I think she picked up a rock." He said quietly. She sighed._

_ "I see. And what is your horse's name?" _

_ "Lil' Red, sired by Big Red." She started by petting the horse's nose which got her to calm down._

_ "Easy, Red. Easy girl." She ran her hand down to the horse's leg and bent down, picking up her hoof in the process. She pulled out a hoof pick and eased the rock out. "The rock is a temporary problem. It looks like she pulled a tendon, meaning if you keep riding her like this, she may possibly go lame. Since you probably don't want that, you need to have a heat wrap on it and do some cold water therapy." The look on Norrington's face was priceless._

_ "I don't know what you're talking about." He looked up to see his father coming towards them. "You might want to leave. Father is coming." A well-built man stormed up to the pair and the horse._

_ "That horse is lame. Give me your rifle, James!" The boy reluctantly handed the gun to his father. Salena stood._

_ "Absolutely NOT! This horse is not lame. She pulled a tendon from the excessive racing that you put your son through. It's common, actually, and it can be treated." He brushed her aside._

_ "Listen, princess. You don't know everything." He grabbed the horse's reins. Salena stood in front of the horse and pulled out a well-crafted sword. _

_ "When you kill this horse, that bullet will pierce my skull. Red isn't lame! It is easily treated with an overnight heat wrap and cold water therapy. Please listen to me. I know what I'm talking about. At most, she will need a brace and a few weeks of stall rest. She has a future." The man slowly lowered the gun._

_ "If she has a future, then it won't be with the Norrington family. Take her off my hands; I've no use for a lame horse." Salena unbuckled the bridle and haltered the mare, tying the rope to Dante's saddle. _

_ "Come on, Dante. Let's go get cleaned up." She led the two horses away._

_*End Flashback*_


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean. Thank Disney for that. I do own Salena Chavez/Charlotte Darkhawk, Shikara, and Shikako.

Salena looked confused for a minute, but soon she caught on, a grin spreading across her face.

"For a minute there, you looked as if you didn't have a clue what I was talking about. As I recall, you called me a foolish child and said that to me while you passed me on the inside." Salena looked down from her place at the helm.

"Pray tell me why you weren't on the inside to begin with, Cutler? It was common sense to stay on the inside rail, and yet you were on the outside." He rolled his eyes.

"This will be the first and the last time you ever hear me say this. Because I was young and naïve, and I didn't have a care in the world. I also didn't know what you meant when you said Dante meant endurance. I also didn't know what the heck I was doing."

"Oh, I see," Salena said in mock surprise. "Cutler Beckett admits defeat. Why His Majesty, the king of England, would love to hear this one."

"Don't you dare," he chided. She held her hands in a surrendering position.

"I surrender, Cutler. I surrender." He grunted.

"I didn't realize that word was in your vocabulary." She smiled.

"It's not, actually. I just happened upon it. So now that the great and mighty Cutler Beckett has admitted defeat, and is actually acting like a civilized person aboard my ship, because he's not in front of his crew, what is he going to do? Alas, the world is coming to an end." She faked a faint, falling limply against the railing.

"Thank you, Caption obvious. Are you aware that you say "person" like Davy Jones does?" She opened her eyes.

"The dialect of the pirata does rub off on one when you're at sea for quite a bit of time."

"I didn't think you were a pirate. What changed?"

"You did, Cutler. You grew up. You inherited the East India Trading Company. Spain was a falling power against the British trade. We needed trade, and we needed it badly. At first, the idea for another trading company was just… outrageous. We couldn't find any man alive who was willing to compete against your mercenaries. Then we found out what we were lacking. Military prowess. And that's mighty hard to come by, these days."

"There's been no match for the Blackguard Assassins in quite some time; that's true. But that doesn't explain your story. The Spanish Armada? It seems a bit far-fetched."

"For a woman, it's hard to come by a job, unless you're in Tortuga, but I wasn't willing to stoop that low. So I had to disguise myself as a man. I started off with a small trade in carpentry and ship-building. I gained reputation and got to know the people around town. My reputation grew; seamen would come in for repairs and new ships. And that, my dear, is when I met Jack Sparrow. And those were the days when the _Wicked Wench_ became the _Black Pearl_." Cutler rolled his eyes.

"She will always be the _Wicked Wench_ in my eyes." Salena looked to him.

"Pathetic. Hold on to the good memories and let the bad ones go. Anyways, I got this weird request from a pirate captain to come repair his ship at sea. He said he couldn't dock it, and you know, being a pirate, you can't dock at major ports, so I agreed. Come to find out, his ship is anchored off the coast of Africa, and it's in the worst condition I've ever seen a ship in, a near impossible job. And that was the first time I ever saw the _Flying Dutchman_ and met Davy Jones. It was his ship, and Jack made a bargain with him to resurrect the _Black Pearl_. Oh yes, the _Black Pearl_ was in horrible condition when he brought it up from the depths. I understood why he wanted a good carpenter. Mercer and the Assassins did quite a number on her." The sound of cannon fire momentarily distracted her. She gazed out over the horizon, watching the fight between Davy Jones and the pirates.

"You were saying?" Cutler's voice jerked her back to attention.

"I patched her up as best I could for temporary travel and told him to take her to Spain if he wanted me to fix her up for good. Then he confessed that he didn't exactly have the money to pay me, to which I waved him off. No big deal there. I had plenty of money. What I needed was reputation. He agreed that he could find me a few more regulars, in exchange for fixing his ship. We bargained; he got his ship, and I got clients from the pirate lords. By then, I had to go undercover to work, because Salena Chavez and the South Storm Trading Company were starting to gain attention. You see, to the pirates, I am a woman. I am not to be taken advantage of under any circumstances because I have protection from the nine pirate lords. Mostly I worked under the Spanish lord, and when he died, I took his place as one of the nine lords. To Spain and other countries, I am Sal Chavez, the man who owns the SSTC and brother of Marina Chavez, queen of Spain."

"It sounds too complicated. But if you're Sal Chavez, then you gave my Blackguard Assassins a run for the money." Salena snorted.

"Yes, the Blackguard Assassins. I never miss them. The Black-wolf Assassins of the South Storm? Surely you've heard of them."

"Yes, the Assassins frequently complain that they copied our name."

"Jacob Beckett was the first one to join my ranks. The local militia soon followed." Cutler became curious.

"Back to Jack, how on earth did you manage to repair the_ Black Pearl_?" Salena laughed.

"My dear Beckett, I built the _Outlaw Queen_ with my own two hands. And she's legendary. I think I can repair the _Black Pearl."_ Cutler looked down.

"You built this ship with your own two hands? And how, may I ask, is that even possible?"

"I was free under the queen's jurisdiction. I had a ton of time on my hands and plenty of supplies. I mean, of course I had help. You weren't thinking I did this by myself, were you?" He nodded. "Good heavens! No, she was built by a team of ship-builders, myself included. I'm not that crazy, Beckett."

"And yet here you are, sailing as a pirate lord. I thought you hadn't changed." Salena jumped down from her position on the railing.

"Who says I have, Cutler?" She leveled her sword at his throat. "Oh… It seems this position is familiar. If I recall… you lost your sword to me in the Festival so many years ago." He narrowed his eyes at her.

"And this is to make up for it?" He pulled his own blade and slid it against hers, the sound of steel grating ringing through their ears. She smiled.

"Only if you win. After all, we are enemies." He swore under his breath. Last time he checked, his skills were no match for hers. Of course, that had been near fifteen years ago, and neither of them were getting any younger. She lunged at him, taking his distraction as an advantage, bringing their blades dangerously close to his throat. He shrugged off the near death experience and engaged in playful combat with her.

It all ended when his blade clattered to the deck of the ship. His hands were shaking, and sweat was running down his back.

"How do you have the stamina to combat that long?" He asked, trying to avoid meeting her eyes. Salena yawned.

"My question is how come you don't? Supposedly men have higher stamina than women, but I worked for everything I got, Cutler. I wasn't lucky enough to have it handed to me on a silver platter. Pick up your blade; chances are you'll need it later."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means… that I am temporarily leaving you in command of my ship and the chest, while I go and fight some pirates. Savvy?" She left him dumbfounded. "Oh, and Cutler, don't do anything stupid." She jumped off the edge of the railing and into the stormy waters.

"She's mad."


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean. Thank Disney for that.

And one more thing, I am still getting used to using this format, so please excuse any errors you may stumble upon.

* * *

><p>Slow, steady strokes brought her into the maelstrom. Jones got distracted and saw her.<p>

"Throw her a rope, you filthy rats!" His crew did so and she swung aboard, taking out a few pirates on her way up.

"Ello, Jones. Need some help?" Mercer was standing on top of a dead crewman, shouting.

"I've got the key! I've got the key! The _Dutchman_ is under my control." Jones looked to her.

"Take care of 'im for me." Salena smiled.

"As ye command me." She pushed Mercer off the crewman, pinning him to the ground. "You're a bloody mess, ye know that?" He spat in her face. "Ye are under one of the nine pirate lords and a trained assassin, and that's how ye treat me?"

"You'd be better off in the Locker!" Mercer snarled. Salena shook her head.

"Ian, it's me. Remember me? Salena Chavez." There was no sign of recognition on Mercer's face. Of course, he could have been bluffing.

"Yeah, I know who you are. You stole business from the East India Trading Company, helped resurrect Sparrow's ship, and are a lying, conniving wench!" Now Salena was offended.

"To the depths with ye!" She shouted, grabbing the key from his hand and throwing him down on the deck. "Bo'sun! Tie this… bilge rat to the mast and teach him the meaning of pain!"

"As you command, milady." The bo'sun grabbed his whip and made a spectacle out of Mercer. Screeches of pain erupted from his lips as the cat o' nine-tails dug into his flesh. Every fight stopped to watch.

"Jackie, go back to your own ship. Ye can't kill Jones, and ye can't release Calypso. Ye can barely hold up your own blade because you're injured." It was true. Jones had caught Jack when he was distracted, leaving him with a bloody gash that extended down his arm, ripping through muscle. He winced when she grabbed the edge of his shirt and ripped it, and wrapped it around the exposed flesh. "You should get it checked on."

Everybody who was fighting suddenly backed away from the pair. Nobody wanted to come close to Salena, especially not with mood swings like that. One moment she was ruthless, the other, kind and caring.

"Ech…" Jack wiped the blood away from his arm. "What makes ye think ye can stop this fight, luv?"

"Jack, it's me, Salena. The Spanish pirate lord? Stop this madness. You can't win. It's nigh impossible."

"Luv, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!"

"Like I give a damn. I don't care who you are. I have the key, the chest, and Cutler Beckett in the palm of my hand." Jack snorted.

"If you have Cutler Beckett (the name was spoken with disgust and hatred) sitting in the palm of your hand, then tell him to get his pretty little behind over here and we'll settle this man to man." Salena rolled her eyes.

"Jack! My patience with you is growing thin. Your flagship currently represents all the other pirate lords. Make a choice!" Jack looked around, to his crew, and to Will and Elizabeth who were keeping Jones at bay.

"We choose to continue in our fight against Cutler Beckett and his armada." Salena snarled at him.

"Once a pirate, always a pirata!" She slapped him and stepped out of the way. What she didn't realize is that by saying that he had given a signal for the others to attack. And their firepower would be concentrated in one area and two ships, the _Endeavor_ and the _Outlaw Queen._ She grabbed the quartermaster's flag and signaled Beckett to return to his ship.

"What is she doing?" Cutler asked as he returned to the _Endeavor._

"I have no idea." Jacob shook his head.

"Try your petty little games with me, Jack. It won't work. You'll soon be blasted away."

"Luv, I don't know who hurt you in the past, but you're still one of us as far as I'm concerned. You're still a pirate lord, and you can't ignore that. You're the one who stole away Beckett's business and made Shipwreck Cove one of the richest pirate coves in the world. You practically order us to pirate Beckett's ships. What changed?" She let her hand rest on his shoulder as she passed him.

"Jack, I was never a pirate. I'm actually queen of Spain and Lady of the South Storm Trading Company. It's time you got that through your head. My compromise is this: I let you go. You, all the other pirate lords, and Davy Jones will work together. The East India Trading Company will fall… either that or it will merge with the South Storm." She let the implications sink in.

"You told me you were free. You would give up your freedom for us? You would dare to tie yourself down with that… that creature?" Jack spluttered. Salena shook her head.

"Cutler is an old friend. I'm sure with a little persuasion he'll come around." Jack rubbed his head.

"Why is the rum always gone?" Luv, you're giving me a headache. But if anyone could do it, you would be the one to actually carry it through. Barbossa, what do you say?" For a moment, the pirate lord looked guilty, and they soon found out why.

"I was already approached by Salena and accepted her offer to crew under the SSTC as Admiral Barbossa." Jack looked peeved.

"And you have the guts to call me a traitor to the Brethren Court? Go look in the mirror, mate," Jack snapped.

"On the bright side, I got me a good hat and a good ship." Secretly, Jack was wondering if the hat was really all he cared about.

"Luv, you got guts, which is something I admire. But there's got to be a catch. Why would you tie yourself down to Lord Beckett? Your implications are huge. What if it doesn't work?"

"Cutler Beckett is a man easily swayed by power. If I'm queen, what will that make him? Yes, it will make him king. I could give him everything he ever wanted, but… my catch isn't with you. It's with him. He has to prove himself worthy of the throne. As of this day, should you ever come across Beckett on board a ship, you will not address him as Lord Beckett. You will call him Cutler. Barbossa will be his instructor in sword-fighting, and Jack will be his instructor in navigational skills and maps. Master Turner will be taking care of his carpentry and smithing skills. Miss Elizabeth will take care on educating him on the pirate lords and their history. Tia Dalma will be taking care of the healing arts, and Davy Jones will be keeping all of you in check." Jack looked to her.

"Have you told him yet?" Jack asked, sort of not expecting a good answer.

"Nope. He's the one who has to learn the hard way. Oh, and Mercer is the cabin boy for Jones. Any questions?" Her tone of voice told them it was more of an order to stop fighting and start preparing for a time of, well, an interesting time to say the least.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean. Thank Disney for that.

And one more thing, I am still getting used to using this format, so please excuse any errors you may stumble upon.

* * *

><p>"You want us to do what?" Jack stared at her. "And ye want Jones of all… creatures to watch over us? Are ye mad, luv?" Salena went toe to toe with Jack.<p>

"Do you have a problem with that, Jack?" She flashed him a smirk. "Or shall I remind you what ye owe me, Sparrow?" Jack groaned. It had to be the Queen's jewels.

"You're a pirata, alright!" Jack spat. Of all the low, rotten, dirty things to do, she had to bring up the matter when he had stolen the Queen's treasure, and Salena, of course, did not let him get away with it. He still had scars on his back from it too. "And a dirty one at that."

"My dear Jack, you know the punishment for stealing anything that belongs to the Queen. It simply couldn't be helped. After all, it's just good business." Jack clenched his jaw and bit his tongue, to make him not spout out all the things he shouldn't say in front of her. Things that would later on merit him very, very bad consequences.

"As you wish, your Majesty." He growled out, stomping away before she could say anything else. "Oh, and by the way, Cutler Beckett deserves the likes of you, ye horrid wench!" He knew there would be some consequences later, and he prayed it wouldn't be too terrible.

Salena glared at his retreating form, internally bickering with herself, whether or not to make an example out of him. But Jack was well liked and somewhat respected. The last thing she wanted was the Brethren Court to be afraid of her or to kill her, whichever would come first. Jones, judging by the expression on his face, was not too happy that he'd been insulted and looked as if he wanted to wring the youngest Sparrow's neck. She couldn't blame him really; she knew what it was like to be an outsider.

_*Flashback*_

_With Dante and Red in the hands of the Governor's grooms, not that she trusted them, Salena left for the rest of the competitions. With her weapons in hand, she strode into the arena confidently, giving a mock bow to both Beckett and Mercer. It was not reciprocated. She hoisted the gun to her shoulder, dropping the bow and arrows to the ground._

_ "Archery is a peasant's sport." Salena looked to Beckett._

_ "And so are you," she replied, barely losing concentration as the gun went off. He jumped out of the way._

_ "That could have killed me!" He was furious._

_ "I knew where I was aiming, boy. So beat my shot, or we'll take the outside the competition." She never missed a beat. He turned around and narrowed his eyes. _

_ "Showoff." He was a good shot, meaning he knew how to defend himself if needed. But this one had a perfect sniper's aim, and he knew he couldn't beat it. So, for once, he did the logical thing. "I forfeit. You can't be good in everything." He had already lost his sword to her, and Mercer had forfeited that match. _

"_You're not a princess; you're a soldier. And a freak. And I forfeit." That's what Mercer had said, reluctantly. _

"_Do you want me to take this outside the competition, Master Beckett?" Beckett shrugged._

"_I don't know. Do you want to fight me?" Salena looked at him._

"_Nein." But she knew they would never accept her as one of them, so she didn't bother with them._

_*End Flashback*_

Mercer sighed. "I don't even have a choice in the matter, do I?" She looked to him.

"It's what you get for calling me a freak. You see, Jones and I are so much alike. So I figured you wouldn't mind working under one of my kind again."

"You and that creature are nothing alike. He's a freak of nature; you're a freak of mind."

"Because your views on women are so limited to peasant's sports and home-making, I have deemed you a subject suitable for my hatred. Trust me when I say that every woman doesn't want to be married for reproduction purposes. Actually, most women agree to arranged marriages because their husbands-to-be are rich, and they want to be pampered, not treated like some slave."

"And those that marry for love are peasants and the lower classes." Mercer smirked.

"There is but two classes in Spain. There is my sister, her husband, and her subjects. And then there is me and my people, the working guilds, the peasants, and the slaves. There is no one is my class who has not proved their worth to me a thousand times over, and though I am queen, they are my equals, man and woman. I'll not have you be bashing the way I rule. Cutler Beckett is not king. He does not have jurisdiction to rule over the Brethren Court or over anybody the way he does. But he does, and I will put a stop to it. I trust you all, even you, Jack, to be honest, good, hard-working, respectable merchants, even though you are pirates. From here on out, I want you to prove your worth, by taking Cutler Beckett under your wings and teaching him to be a good man. The task will be difficult, but you will be rewarded greatly. If you want to paid, you work for it. So, see the Endeavor over there. That's the first EITC ship you will destroy. The spoils are yours, ladies and gents. Oh, and do tell Cutler that I give him my regards."

"Lord Beckett has his rights. And he has a right to rule over the peoples as he deems fit. That is the command from the king." Salena turned.

"I forgot to tell you." She smiled, waving a paper in front of his nose. "It's from the King of England. Do you know what this is, do you, do you?" Mercer snorted.

"If you stopped waving it around maybe it would stop moving long enough for me to read it." Salena handed the paper to Jones, who started reading it aloud.

_"From His Majesty, the King of England, to the King of Spain, Dakota Beckett. I send thee my sincerest condolences for not being able to attend your wedding. I do hope you and Mrs. Beckett are doing well. But to get down to business, I noticed that one of your trading companies is crossing into our borders. I give you warning that should this happen again, my men will not be merciful. However, if you deem it fit, I give my permission that our trading companies be merged together. It seems Sal Chavez is a powerful man. Perhaps, he and Lord Beckett would be willing to strike up a bargain and join together in ruling the seas. It has also been brought to my attention that your wife's sister has not married yet. Isn't it time she settled down and started raising a family? There are many suitable men within the company. Perhaps you should send her to England to marry… me, of course. It is quite lonely without a queen to call my own. All of Spain and England would be united. Farewell, His Majesty." Jones pulled out the second letter._

_ "She will be sent to England immediately to prepare for the wedding. And yes, I do quite agree. There is nothing like having a queen to call one's own. Dakota Beckett."_

"You all think that I have a choice in this matter. I don't. But I'd rather see myself married to Beckett, than I ever would the King of England. I don't have a choice. I have to hide from Dakota Beckett. That's why I'm the Spanish Corsair, and that's why my name is Charles Smith."


	8. Chapter 8

**I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean. All credit goes to Disney.**

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><p>Even Barbossa straightened a little at his statement. This was one of their own, someone who turned traitor to the king and decided to find a living by themselves. Pirate or not, she was one of them. But he knew both kings' words were laced with deceit. Dakota didn't want to share the throne with Salena, and he most certainly didn't want to join with the King of England. And the same was likewise for the King of England. The minute Salena Chavez was out of the picture, Spain would become a living abyss for the lower classes. The King of England would throw the well-respected Beckett family name in the dirt and trample on it.<p>

"You want to save Cutler Beckett from a near certain death." Barbossa stated. Jack turned, shaking his fist.

"Cutler Beckett deserves death! Aye?" There were several murmurs in agreement. Salena didn't move.

"No." Jack looked to the older pirate and to his father who had spoken at the same time.

"And pray tell me why not?" He growled.

"There are only three left in the Beckett family. One is king; the other is a pirate. And one is trying so hard to keep his family name from being tarnished. The King is using him, and he doesn't know it. The minute Sal is gone, so are we. And so is Cutler Beckett. And what are we to prey upon? The Spanish Armada controlled by Dakota Beckett and his ilk. Trust me, Jack. If this man is forcing his sister-in-law to marry the King just to get her out of the picture, what more will he do to us?" The older Sparrow asked his son.

"My question is what will happen if ye fail? What will happen when ye 'ave to marry the King?" Jones asked. "Because ye can't seriously expect this plan to be fool-proof."

"That's why I don't have morons like Ian Mercer working under me. I'd rather slit me throat 'fore I be bedding down wit de King. But should such a case arise, well, the first night he tries to bed down wit me, I slit his throat and let the peasants and merchants reign free." Jack clapped his hands dully, seeming unimpressed. "Dear Jack, I'm surprised you didn't ask for my hand in marriage earlier. It would make you king…"

"Ye wouldn't accept me even if I had. I know ye wouldn't. You love Beckett. I can see it your eyes." Salena gritted her teeth, hating that he could see right through her. "Don't you, Sal?" The other pirate lords waited for the expression on her face to change; it didn't.

"Beckett is… competition. It's just good business, Jack. You of all people should understand that."

"Competition? That's all ye have to say, Sal!" She looked to Jones, and he looked to Jack.

"Sparra! You're treadin' on thin ice, boy," he said, bringing her ship about with the sweep of his hand.

"How is Jones able to control your ship? And why are you able to come up and go down as you please?" Jack sneered. Salena leaned over the side of the railing. With a determined look on her face, she summoned up a wave which contained a bottle of rum and a satchel of gold. Turning around, she directed the stream of water at Jack's shoulder, and it deposited the contents of its "mouth" at his feet.

"He doesn't; I do, and that's why. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to." She waved farewell and disappeared with her ship. Or more like, sailed back to Beckett's ship with Barbossa in tow. Cutler was moderately surprised.

"I didn't think you could actually get them to stop, my dear," he said, bowing in mock majesty. Barbossa look to Salena, and she nodded, summoning up a small wave to tie Beckett down. Cutler jumped when he felt something wet brush against his wrists and then tighten. He was thrown to the ground roughly as the ship lurched and turned. He turned his head to see Barbossa at the helm. "What are you doing?" Barbossa looked down to him.

"What I was commissioned to do, Cutler."

"My name is LORD Beckett." Barbossa rolled his eyes.

"When you return to England, you will be called Lord Beckett. But for now, you are Cutler."

"Who commissioned you?" Beckett asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. Salena knelt down and cupped his chin in her hand.

"I did." His eyes grew wide and he jerked away.

"Traitor!" Salena knew it would happen, but it didn't keep the hurt from showing on her face.

"I'm doing it for your own good, Beckett. Maybe one day you'll come to realize that," she said sadly, turning away from him as he was led away to his own prison. He hissed in pain as he was thrown roughly into the brig by his own guards. Why would Salena disgrace him like this? He made that statement too, when she came back down to say goodbye to him.

"Why do you disgrace me, Salena? I trusted you!" He grabbed the bars of the door. Jacob stood nearby so that he couldn't harm her. "Why?" He growled through gritted teeth. "How could you?" When she did finally speak, her voice was resigned.

"In good time, you'll see. I hope. Do not think of it as a disgrace; think of it as a challenge."

"I don't want to play your silly games!" She grabbed his wrists through the bars.

"Tis not a game, Cutler. This is your reality." She hissed, angered by his statement. "And until you learn it, you will not be returning to England. We all have to do things we don't like, Cutler. It's just your turn now." He grabbed her wrists back, not expecting his own brother to turn and point a rifle at his head.

"Let the queen go or I'll end you like father did mum's cooking. You're disgracing the Beckett family name right now, so straighten up or I'll go find a whip."

"The last thing I'd do is disgrace the family name! I'd shoot myself before I did that. Well, at least I'm not a dirty pirate!" Jacob smirked.

"I'm not a pirate. I work for her majesty." Cutler was getting cocky as his anger swelled.

"I wasn't talking to you, Jacob." Small tendrils of water crept into the ship, throwing Cutler back against the wall and pinning him down by wrapping around his hands, feet, and torso. Salena stared at him, but she could never stay angry at him, and the water dissipated, dropping him to the floor. She left; the only water on the floor was where she had been standing.


	9. Chapter 9

Note: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean.

* * *

><p>Cutler threw his arms against the bars in frustration. "You can't leave me here!" He screamed until his voice went hoarse, because, not surprisingly, all the crew members ignored him. "So what makes you different than a pirate, Jacob Beckett?" He asked mockingly.<p>

"I'm not a pirate. I work as a pirate, commissioned under her majesty."

"Yes, I know that," Cutler growled, rolling his eyes. Jacob sat down on a barrel and leaned his rifle, notably a sniper's rifle, against the post.

"Your close-mindedness makes me a pirate. The way you think makes me into a pirate. The king stopped taking care of Papa after he handed the company to you. They threatened to execute him because he's associated with a number of pirates. He's living in Spain now. The only interest the king has is not even in you anymore. It's in Salena Chavez. Dakota and the king have some sort of treacherous alliance, and our jobs as pirates are to keep that alliance as far apart as possible."

Cutler snorted. "That doesn't explain anything."

"The king wants to take over Spain; Dakota wants to take over England. The king wants Sal Chavez out of the way, because of business; so does Dakota. Plain and simple, Cutler. I know you love the girl; you need to protect her." Cutler stared at him. "Are you still so dense? Dakota is ordering Salena to marry the king. If that happens, most of Spain is doomed. Instead of your company getting more business, Dakota will take over both of them. What is good and righteous in the Beckett name will be destroyed. The king won't have a need for you then." Jacob made the trigger motion with his hand. Cutler shook his head in disbelief.

"That won't happen. I'm too valuable as an asset to the king. He's not going to shoot me." Jacob coughed roughly.

"Don't bet on it. Those two have already arranged the marriage. They're looking for Salena right now. Besides, if it won't happen, then why is there a warrant for your arrest in every port this side of England?" Jacob tossed the crumpled sheet of paper in his brother's cell. Cutler looked at it warily, eyeing the sheet with disdain, before smoothing it out. His sharp intake of breath confirmed what Jacob knew all along: his brother was clueless about the arrest warrants. It was something Jacob could say that he wished he just made up as a prank on his younger brother, but then again, there was a bounty on his own head and he to take care of his wife and three kids. He hated to leave his wife like that, but he knew his father was nearby to keep watch over the others. He watched as Cutler threw the paper at the wall and threw his fists up against the wall as well, sinking to his knees in anguish.

"It's not a question of whether or not you can take care of yourself. It's a question of whether or not you want to live or die. If you go back to England, they will shoot you on spot, but you're more than welcome to go to Spain." Cutler turned to his brother, murder in his eyes.

"I will never turn pirate! Ever! I will not disgrace the family name!" Jacob shook his head sternly.

"Pirate is in your blood, boy. You can't run from that. You can't even hope to run from that factor. You, my brother, are the exact same as Master Turner, only you're more stubborn. Papa was a pirate who escaped the death penalty by being commissioned under the king, not this one, but his father. His father, I believe was gentler and kinder. How he raised a son to be a brutal murderer, I have no idea."

Cutler was still seething. "I don't understand. How could you disgrace the Beckett name?"

"The Beckett name is, if you want to review our family history, an ancient family of pirates. So if I am a pirate and Papa is a pirate, then we are not disgracing the name. Technically, you are. The only thing with the Beckett "name" is it's only a name; you're making it out to be too much. The Beckett family takes pride in being good, hardworking, honest men in the sense of the word. So we lie… we cheat… we steal… we kill when we have to. It's in our blood. Besides, times change. We're not English spies anymore. We're Spanish spies. Papa did what he could to protect his sons and to provide them with an honest living and a hope for living better than he did. You got everything you wanted, because you were the baby of the family. You're not a baby anymore, Cutler. It's time for you to live up to a Beckett pirate; it's time for you to be a man."

Cutler shivered, the night's chill setting into his body. He didn't want to accept it, but he knew his brother was right. Under no circumstances would he ever admit that he loved Salena Chavez, and he knew Jacob trusted her.

"Now I can give you something to change into, some food, and a place to stay, but you can't have your weapons. You can't have your pride here, unless it's the pride of a pirate. You've been assigned instructors, who are well versed in their occupations, who will teach you several. There's to be no name calling or any mention of your or their past. You're free to ask them any questions, but I would advise to be careful on approaching them with questions about Sal. She's one of them; she's one of their family, and she's still a pirate lord. So don't think they'll betray their own kind."

"Why would Salena do this to me?" Jacob scuffed the floor with his boot, nervous about how much he should tell.

"She… doesn't have a choice in who she marries. She's out for love, but she wants a man who is willing to give up everything so Spain can be united. She loves you, Cutler. It's really obvious, actually. It's in her eyes, her entire body language towards you, and the way she called off the pirate attack. They would have killed you in a heartbeat. And really, the only reason they're putting up with you is for Salena. So, yeah, you owe her a thank you in the least."

"If I marry her, what is that going to change?" Jacob laughed.

"Salena is the eldest. When she gets married, her sister and Dakota won't be on the throne anymore, because it legally passes to Salena and her husband. Chavez-Beckett? King and Queen of Spain? Treaty with England is put into effect. The East India Trading Company merges with the South Storm. Everything that would be accomplished normally, just without forcing the people to do it. It's all about free will, Cutler. You need to remember that."

"So me being in this cell is free will?" He asked, like a smart aleck. Jacob stared at him.

"Yeah, something like that." He smirked back, sporting the classic Beckett smirk.

"Oh you would," Cutler grumbled, turning his back towards his brother.


	10. Chapter 10

I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean or Lord of the Rings.

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><p>Chapter 10:<p>

Cutler didn't believe his brother when Jacob said he wouldn't get anything until he decided to cooperate. The former lord didn't know what to think when he was not delivered food or shelter and was forced to stay the night in his cold cell, pondering his soon-to-be fate. He listened to the waves lap quietly against the side of the boat, and knew without a doubt they had to be sailing. He also didn't believe that the pirate captain Barbossa dared to stay up to this hour of the night. He didn't know what time it was, but it had to be some matter of late. The moon was shining through the porthole into his cell, but it wasn't providing much if any warmth. Salena Chavez, now there was one person if any person he looked up to. Of course, he'd never admit it, but it wasn't about a free-will admission. He looked at the arrest warrant that was lying on the floor again, picking it up and smoothing out the wrinkles. There was literally absolutely nothing he could do about it, except to trust her. He was loathing to do it, but… cannon fire interrupted his train of thought. Instinctively, he ducked, cowering in the corner. That's when he discovered his cell wasn't actually locked. He darted out onto the deck. Jacob shoved a rifle into his hands.

"Whatever you do, don't miss!" Cutler looked around, seeing a few of his men shooting off the opposing ships… ships. There were two. Two was trouble. One on one side, and one on the other. He swallowed nervously. There was cannon fire again, and he panicked, not knowing which way to run. He heard someone yelling at him, but he didn't know where it was coming from. Suddenly he was pulled to the ground as bullets whizzed about him. Whoever was holding him down cursed under their breath as a sticky red substance splattered both of their faces. He flinched. Then there was a whooping yell that sounded reminiscent of Indians. He twisted out of the man's grip.

"Sit down, Beckett." Cutler looked back. It was Norrington. A bullet had grazed the side of his arm, and he was holding a rag to it. "You're no use out there. Don't even think about it." Cutler looked to the upper deck. Salena was there, Jacob and Barbossa alongside her.

She shoved a rifle into Jacob's hands. "Do your thing, Jacob. They didn't make you a sniper for no reason. Barbossa, you got my crew. Do what you can." The two men nodded and went their separate ways. Now she stood alone on the deck. "Come on, ye filthy bilge rats! Is that all ye got!" She yelled to the other ships. She was, as it seemed, not armed. But the water beneath their ships was churning, twisting, and frothing. Her quiver was full of arrows as she pulled one taught, releasing a burning flame into their sails. That being said and done, all she could do was wait. She dropped down beside Cutler and Norrington. Ripping a part of his shirt out, she muttered, "I thought you said archery was a peasant's sport." She wrapped Norrington's arm the best she could, and sent a hefty glare in the other ships' directions. "Bloody rats. Not in range for close combat and staying out of range for cannon fire. Probably a Spanish ship and a English ship sent by their majesties," she muttered sarcastically.

Two massive explosions were heard and debris was scattered everywhere.

"You can actually shoot through the ship?"

"No, I arched it through the sails and into the cargo hold."

"No need to get snarky," he muttered under his breath. What he didn't count on was her hearing him and a lovely backhand that sent him reeling.

"You," she muttered, concentrating more on wrapping on Norrington's arm than anything, "Need to learn to hold your tongue… that is if you'd like to keep it." Norrington chuckled. Cutler glared at him, rubbing the welt on his face. His hand closed around a small blade laying on the deck, and he hurled it at Norrington. Metal met metal and Salena kept on working, as the blade clattered to the ground, practically useless. It had hit her chain mail arm guards and bounced back. She gave off a small smile. "And your temper. My dear friend is so helpless that he attacks his comrade in a blind rage simply because he was laughed at. If you live in Spain, you will have to face humiliation. Of course, you will have to face humiliation anywhere now, just because your position has been destroyed." She finished wrapping Norrington's arm and helped him up.

"Thank you, Sal." As she turned away, he saw blood dripping from her arm. "You're hurt." It was more of a statement than a question. She waved him away.

"It's nothing but a stray bullet. I'll be fine."

"Salena!" She turned back to him. "Please let one of the lords take care of you. The rebellion's fate rests in your hands. Try not to damage them." She smiled.

"Thank you for your concern, James. It does not go unnoticed, but I have far worse things to take care of." She turned away again, but he grabbed her non-injured arm.

"Salena please." She shrugged.

"As you wish." She slipped off her overshirt and removed the chain mail, leaving her in a small tunic-type undershirt. Cutler stared at her small, but well-built form. He could not avert his eyes. Salena smirked in his direction. "Keep staring, boy, and you'll find yourself without eyes." He blushed and looked to his feet. James looked at the wound grimly.

"The bullet was poisoned. I do not know how to treat it. I have never seen anything like it." He motioned Barbossa over. The pirate lord scowled.

"Nor have I. But I do know that it will spread quickly if it is not taken care of quickly. We will burn the poison out." Just as he said that, there was some shouting on the deck as another ship pulled alongside them.

"Captain!" Came the worried shouts of the crew. A cloaked figure swung aboard.

"You will do no such thing. I will remove the poison." The two men drew their swords, intending to protect their leader. The others brandished their bows, arrows pulled taught. Salena struggled to her feet, and made her way over to them, stumbling down at the foot of their leader, murmuring something in a foreign language. Barbossa took a moment to examine the figure; he was broad-shouldered and well-built. He would be a tough combatant in battle. James had a small dagger hidden in his pocket and was fingering it nervously. He held it in the palm of his hand, before throwing it at the figure. In what seemed to be slow motion, the figure withdrew his sword, with a long scraping sound, and parried the attack. "Your sword as requested, your Majesty." He put the tip of the sword to the deck and knelt down his hands resting on top.

"Your kind does not bow to me, my love." Cutler's eyes widened. Was he too late?


	11. Chapter 11

I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean or Lord of the Rings.

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><p>Chapter 11:<p>

"So it is?" Salena asked, resting her hands on top of his.

"I saw to it myself. There's ne'er been a finer sword crafted in the realms of Lorien, save for the king's, but that tis another matter." He stood, helping her up and throwing back his hood. The long, blond hair spilled forth from its confines, the Elven braid snaking its way down to the front. "The elves have pledged their allegiance to you, milady, as have I. Now come, I hear we have another matter to take care of. The master of all things Elven himself, has come to your aid."

"Master Elrond is here? Is he getting adventurous in his old age, Haldir?" Said man… er… elf threw his head back and laughed.

"He'd have your hide if he heard you say that." She smirked.

"So he's going deaf too, is he? Next thing you know he won't be able to see."

"You best do well to keep quiet. We shan't rouse his temper, you know."

"Oh, I know. My little friend, here, doesn't know how to control his."

"I am not little!" Cutler snarled. Haldir inclined his head towards him.

"Duly noted, my friend. But if there's one temper you don't wish to rouse, it's Lady Salena's. Because between her and Master Jones, with both them controlling properties of water, you, my friend, would be standing on some very precarious ground… or should I say water?"

"You are not my friend." Cutler stated, as clear and simple as he could make it. He rose to his feet, the welt on his face now bruising. Haldir leaned forward in the dim moonlight.

"I could make that go away, if you wanted me to." He leaned forward, and Cutler jumped back.

"Freak," he muttered under his breath. Haldir pulled back affronted, and Salena's good hearing, unfortunately for Cutler, caught it.

"Excuse me?" Salena asked, her voice rising upwards. "Who do you think you are to call him a freak? What right," She walked to him and jabbed her fingers into his chest, pushing him backwards. "do you have to call anyone that kind of name?" Cutler shut his mouth quick, wishing he hadn't had said anything. He was backing up fast, until his back hit a mast and then he had nowhere to go. He looked to both sides frantically. She grabbed his shirt collar and growled fiercely, baring her teeth in his direction.

"W-what are you?" He stuttered.

"I am a shape-shifter and a water bender. And you, boy, are no longer on thin ice, but you're in the blooming water!" Her hand hit the mast beside his head hard. The sound of bones cracking was heard as her injured arm gave way underneath her weight. She pulled back slowly, and Haldir was by her side in an instant, picking her up bridal style. She was crying, but no sounds were being emitted except for an occasional sniffle as she placed her head against his chest.

"Let us go, mi amour." He jumped over to the other ship, landing gently on the other side. "Master Elrond! Please, come quick." The older elf walked over to him and gingerly took Salena from his arms. He set her down in a rightful room, one decorated for royalty. She was aware of the dark-haired elf pressing something against her lips and the amber liquid burning her throat. Haldir pulled her upper body into his lap, whispering soothing words while Elrond worked on extracting the poison. Only when he was setting the bone, did she let out a small whimper. Haldir leaned down and kissed her gently. He could tell that the medicine Elrond had given her was in her bloodstream because she was drooping.

He let her sleep, slipping out of the room quietly, only to be met with the point of a sword at his throat. Cutler was having trouble keeping the blade steady because it wasn't made for his kind and size. Haldir snorted, taking the blade in the palm of his hand gently.

"You can't wield this sword. It's not made for you. Though it seems that won't stop you from trying."

"What is Salena to you?" He growled, trying to lift the blade from the elf's hand.

"You tell me," Haldir said, a small smirk playing on his lips.

"You called her your love. What are you playing at?"

"Oh, did I? Slip of the tongue then." Cutler almost dropped the blade.

"You fool, it had better not slip up again or you'll find yourself without one." Haldir arched an eyebrow at the smaller man.

"Pardon? Says the man who called me a freak. Listen, I don't care who you are, if you disrespect my queen, I'll soon as cut something off and shove it so far up that it'll be coming out the other side." Cutler swallowed nervously.

"W-what is she to you?"

"My queen and my love. Oh? She has not told you? Did you think that she loved you?" Cutler let go of the blade entirely. "She is the marchwardenness of the Silver Forests of Lothlorien, and I am Haldir of Lorien, marchwarden of Lothlorien."

"You are married to her?"

"I am bound to her, yes. Does that answer your question?"

"You are the king?" The elf nodded his head curtly.

"That would include in being bound to her, yes."

"Forgive me, I will not bother you any longer." Cutler walked stiffly over to the other ship and boarded. He went straight to his brother. "She loves me, huh? You didn't tell me she was married." Jacob looked surprised.

"I wasn't aware that she was. To who?" He asked curiously.

"To that… creature." Cutler spat.

"To Haldir? I was not at all aware of that. I understood that they were friends; she fought alongside him in battle and saved his life. But marriage? She never mentioned it. Though it would explain the green leafed necklace she's wearing. I though it alone was a token of friendship. It seems I was wrong."

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><p>Don't you just love cliff hangers? Sorry, read and review please!<p> 


	12. Chapter 12

Pirates of the Caribbean belongs to Disney, and Lord of the Rings belongs to Tolkien. That being said... on with the show.

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><p>"Well that's not exactly a paltry mistake to be making now is it?" Jacob frowned and called the elf over.<p>

"Haldir!" The blonde elf sheathed his sword and walked over to the railing, as the two ships were tied together.

"Yes, my liege?"

"Are you married to Salena?" Jacob asked.

"No, my liege. We are bound to each other. It is a not so well known tradition for a human to bind themselves to a dying elf if one wishes to save the other's life."

"Then you are not king?"

"Not of your world. Of my forefather's household, I am, with Salena by side. My queen, my sister, my race relative… my love."

"An intimate love?"

"No, my liege, only a brotherly love. I have not been given any indication to which she should love me. Though if she did, I would take care of her, though my bearings are humble." Jacob turned to Cutler.

"You were saying? Haldir, this is my younger brother, Cutler Beckett." The blond elf looked to him curiously.

"She speaks so highly of you, though I do not see why. Perhaps you need to learn a lesson of great humility, my friend. Salena is not taken with men whose arrogance precedes their character. You come from a strange world, but I do not see why you should hold this over anyone's head. You brag, but your boasts have little meaning when you claim to have something, but everyone else sees nothing." Cutler was silent for once. If this was someone Salena held in great regard, then he knew the least he could do was keep his mouth shut. "It seems you used to be in a position of high power and you flaunted it above everyone. You will never win Salena's heart if you continue to act this way. You must become one of the very people you hate, a pirate or a commoner, to see the way you are wrong. See, I am a king, back in my world, but my father's father was not born royalty. We had to work to earn the throne and the people's respect. It's not going to be something that happens instantly." Cutler nodded. Someone had finally broken his through his walls; they'd finally reached him.

"Then, I'm sorry. You're not a freak; you're older and wiser. How old are you anyways?" Haldir laughed.

"Many moons older than you, some tens of thousands of years and still young." At Cutler's shocked face, he continued. "I am nearly a few years older than Lady Chavez in human years. You forget, my friend, I am an elf, and it is quite a different world and culture where I come from; though it shouldn't be any more different in terms of how to treat a lady," Haldir said. Cutler snorted at the statement. Haldir picked up the blade Cutler had dropped it and leveled it at his throat. "Let me repeat myself only once. Disrespect my queen and you will lose something precious. Hurt her… and you will lose your life." His attitude had gone from friendly to cold in a matter of a few moments, and every bit of military and predatory instinct was showing in his cold smirk towards Cutler. Said man shivered, glad he was on the other side of the railing and not planning, at any time, to take the elf on in hand to hand combat. Cutler looked to his brother who nodded.

"Not you too?" Cutler asked.

"What? I have a contract with her. So does Barbossa actually. And all the others."

"Others?" Jacob clapped his hands together.

"Yes, others. Under her majesty, Davy Jones, the one in control of all the others, Barbossa, your sword-fighting partner and teacher, Captain Sparrow, your navigational skills and maps instructor, William Turner, your carpentry and smithing skills instructor, Miss Elizabeth, your pirate lords and history educator, and Tia Dalma, your healing arts instructor. You are the student this time. Oh, and my personal favorite, Ian Mercer, Davy Jones' cabin boy. Perfect job with someone of his skills."

"And what would that be? He was my right hand man." Haldir leaned over the deck.

"Stupidity." The elf snorted as he leaned over the decks. "But stupidity doesn't do him justice. He's more of an ignorant, selfish, power hungry…" Salena wrapped her arms around Haldir and around his mouth.

"Heartless traitor who deserves to be castrated, keel-hauled, and fed to sharks." Haldir spun around.

"What are you doing out of bed?" He chastised her. She held up her hands.

"I'm injured, not paralyzed."

"You'll be paralyzed when Elrond gets a hold of you."

"Not when, if. If he gets a hold of me. Nah, he's in his cabin drinking."

"Elrond doesn't drink."

"We're on the bloody ocean. Everybody drinks." She swayed a little bit.

"And you… had a little too much to drink. Go back to bed. You're going to wake up in the morning with a hangover, and guess who's going to responsible for it?" The elf pointed to himself. "Because between you and Elrond, I somehow always manage to get caught in the middle." She smiled up at him, quite drunkenly. Haldir looked over to Cutler. "And whatever you do, don't give her rum." Jacob snorted.

"Or any alcoholic beverages of any kind. Oh, and if she happens to get drunk and gets mad at you, go find Jack. See Jack owes her money, and if she happens to get reminded of that fact when she's drunk… well… the following scene is nothing short of hilarious." He smiled knowingly.

"What if we're both drunk?" Cutler asked. Jacob and Haldir shared a glance.

"We're not responsible for anything that happens," they both said. Jacob held a hand to his head, grinning.

"Last time that happened, it was with me and my wife, thank goodness, because I ended up with two kids. So I would suggest at least one of you being sober, and that would mean, sticking to your tea." Haldir chuckled.

"Or you could both get drunk, after you're married," Haldir said as Salena clambered up his back, and grabbed onto his hair. "Don't worry; she won't remember any of it." He winced as she pulled on it. "But I will. Salena, can I have my hair back?"

"You don't need it," she stated plainly.

"And neither do you, sweetheart. Go back to bed." Haldir managed to say sweetly. She jumped off his back and managed to get into her room and pass out on the bed.

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><p>Just in case no one got the memo, I am a severe Cutler Beckett fangirl and a huge Disney villain fangirl. That being said, I despise Mercer, and use every chance I have to bash him. Sorry Mercer lovers. I know you're out there.<p> 


	13. Chapter 13

Pirates of the Caribbean belongs to Disney, and Lord of the Rings belongs to Tolkien.

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><p>Shouting and yelling were heard from the members of Salena's crew. "Captain!" Haldir exchanged a concerned look with Jacob and went to see what the trouble was. Groves and Gillette were beside Beckett's side instantly.<p>

"What's wrong?" He asked quietly. The men at his side did not reply but pointed back to the mass of pirate ships that seemed to be getting closer.

"Four pirate lords are on our side; the rest is against us. It's five flag ships against their armada. We've lost so many ships because of the Dutchman that we're so greatly outnumbered. Treaty or not, we're going to die. The captain goes down with the ship."

"Would you two boys stop being such pessimists?" Salena snarled, obviously not drunk.

"Were you playing drunk the whole time?" Cutler inquired, his lips quirking up into a slight smile.

"Perhaps. It is necessary to play the part of a helpless, or in this case, drunk female in order to retrieve information." The two men stared at her. "This captain will not go down with the ship. You know why, boys? This ship isn't going down. _The Outlaw Queen_, _The_ _Empress_, _The_ _Flying_ _Dutchman_, _The Endeavor, The Black Pearl_! None of these ships are going down. For there is one last power we rely on!" Jack and the others had gathered on the either side of the _Outlaw Queen_ and the _Endeavor_ with the _Flying Dutchman_ in the rear. She looked to Davy Jones with an almost evil look on her face. "Pull out the Ace, Jones! Barbossa, I have you a new ship. Jack, I have Angelica. It's been a pleasure knowing her." Jack's eyes widened.

"What have you done to her, you traitorous wench?" Salena rolled her eyes.

"Relax, Jack. She's in my room. She's unharmed. Unfortunately, her "father" died an untimely death. And left a noble crewman his beautiful, stunning ship. I believe you've heard of it."

"What is your ace?" Cutler, Barbossa, Elizabeth, and Jack asked at the same time. Salena grinned, letting loose an almost maniacal laugh.

"_The Queen Anne's Revenge_, along with the beautiful Sword of Triton. The sword that controls said ship." Jack paled and passed out completely on the deck. Angelica ran after him.

"Jack! Jack!" Salena rolled her eyes as the woman jumped the ships to get to him. Jones brought up the ship from the depths on the sea. Barbossa grinned, taking the proffered sword from Salena and weighing it gingerly in his palms.

"Your wish is my command, milady. Do you have any other requests to make of me?" Salena nodded her head, taking a parcel in her hands and unwrapping it. In it lay South Storm Trading Company and East India Trading Company flags. "Hoist the colors. Fly these along with your pirate flags. You are guaranteed immunity from both my company and Beckett's."

"You have no jurisdiction over Lord Beckett! Or the East India Trading Company!" Mercer howled from Jones' ship. Salena looked over at the sniveling brat that once called her a freak and frowned.

"You should consider yourself lucky that I am willing to salvage what is left over from your hapless mistakes," Salena spat out, silently cursing him. "And besides, would you like me to throw your lord overboard? Beings as he can't swim that well and all that?" Cutler's grip on the edge of the railing tightened so hard that it splintered. Fear shone in his eyes as sweat beaded on forehead. "Might I need to warn you again, Mr. Mercer, that I am not on your side? Please do not get in my way again." There was quite a long silence as all of the men and women on board the ship respected her words and took them into mind. Barbossa knelt on the deck, bowed low.

"Yes, your Majesty. Are we not all pirate captains? Are we not all willing to fight for our freedom?"

"But we're turning on ourselves. There will be no pirate lords left." Elizabeth was panicking.

"You severely underestimate the pirate lords. Whenever one is cut down, two more will rise up. It's called fate."

"And where does that leave Beckett? Our mortal enemy, who is so easily cut down? We could just throw him overboard. Hey, Becky, are you ok? You're looking a little clammy and pale over there." Will mocked the lord so thoughtlessly and quite laughingly. Salena was surprisingly quiet during the whole ordeal, and a few of her crew members stepped back nervously. Haldir and Jacob remained by her side. Soon the whole crews of _the Empress, the Black Pearl, and the Queen Anne's Revenge_ were mocking and taunting Beckett. Barbossa, Jones, and the crew of_ the Endeavor, the Flying Dutchman, and the Outlaw Queen_ were entirely silent. Something was wrong, very wrong with Salena. Beckett, of all people, knew she wouldn't throw him to the sharks, but these were the figurative sharks that haunted his childhood and they still hurt. Jacob spoke out first.

"I suggest you be silent, before you upset her Majesty further."

"Too late," Salena murmured under her breath. Her hands clenched into tight wads, and she had to force herself to un-ball them. "Tonight, I dance alone." She looked over to Tia Dalma who nodded in encouragement. It was from Tia Dalma that she had learned of Beckett's past. And it unleashed a cruel fury in the pits of Salena's heart. She had become a beast, and then she discovered a way to harness the power that lay inside of her. True, water bending might have been a thing of the past, but it wasn't gone. Endless water surrounded her with no land in sight. A deep, dark chuckle was ripped from her mouth as she took her two water swords and fought a mighty battle by herself. The crews were silence in awe as they watched her skills. It wouldn't hurt them; just give them a mighty scare. She placed the points of the two swords into the deck and knelt down, rising shortly with both palms facing upwards. Unbeknownst to the other crews, a giant hand of water cupped each ship and brought it high up into the air. Salena rose with the water. While the others were panicking, she calmly stood and watched them. When they saw her, they silenced and cowered in fear. "Beckett. I intend to pursue Beckett for my own interests. I've known Beckett for many, many years, since my childhood even. He had his reasons for eradicating piracy. But now, that's over, and I ask - no, command you not to EVER say the things you did again. No teasing, no taunting, and so help me if one of you EVER lays any harm to him, outside of the training I requested, I will destroy everything precious to you." Will sneered.

"Oh, how cute, you're protecting Lord Beckett."

"Well, believe or not, William, I actually love Cutler Beckett. Unfortunately, the day he was going to propose, I was shipped away to Spain. And nobody told him that. He was heartbroken. But now, I'm never going to leave his side. Even if it costs me my life. Now, I'm going to put you down, and I expect you to behave yourselves." With that, Salena calmly put them back down, and went down herself. Dispersing her water swords, she walked over to Beckett and placed a chaste kiss on his lips.

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><p>And I end with a cliff hanger. I know that like one person is following my story. I'm in the summer before my freshman year of college. Forgive me for not updating. I'm trying to write two chapters a day. So far, it isn't working, but I'll still try to keep you updated. There is still a LOT of flashbacks to come which will explain everything.<p>

So Toodles, to my adoring fans... that probably don't exist, but at least toodles to the one favorite I got.


	14. Chapter 14

Pirates of the Caribbean belongs to Disney and Lord of the Rings belongs to Tolkien.

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><p>Chapter 14<p>

Cutler froze, not at all expecting that, and not at this time. Yeah, he'd been saving it for like somewhere private where they weren't being viewed by three other pirate lords. What the heck was he thinking, saving it for somewhere private? Where had that thought come from? He was Cutler Beckett, Lord of the East India Trading Company. He didn't need her. He would deny ever wanting her in a heartbeat. She had broken his heart once; he wouldn't let it happen again. Then why did everything in his heart contradict his brain? He was slightly confused and dazed.

_*flashback*_

_A younger version of Cutler Beckett excelled thoroughly in his sword skills that he was required to display for his promotion from lieutenant to commodore. He smiled slightly as he finished and passed with flying colors. But he only had one intent in his mind: to propose to Salena Chavez, the woman who had challenged him so many years ago. He had grown stronger from her, and now he was so head over heels in love with her. He was greeted by several younger women fawning over him and congratulatory remarks from some of the community men, but he couldn't find the woman he sought. Finally, he retreated to Mercer and asked about her._

_ "Oh, you mean she didn't tell you? The war is over in Spain. There was no need for her to stay here. She left early this morning." The man smirked unnoticeably for his plan had worked. He had a secret assassin go to Spain and kill the king and queen. He would use Cutler's heartbreak to his own advantage. The two sisters were out of the way, and Cutler would become as cold as ice. He watched the young and newly instated commodore's face fall, and his expression become disinterested. _

_ "Oh. I see." Cutler stumbled back, in quite a bit of shock. Why had she not told him? Why would she… no, how could she betray him like this? She knew of his feelings for her; he'd made them quite clear. It surprised him that she would leave without saying goodbye. Oh, it was probably just temporary. He also voiced the question to Mercer._

_ "When is she coming back? No, she's not coming back, Cutler. She's officially a queen of Spain. She has duties there. What need does she have for you? You're a commodore not a lord. However, if you were to achieve such a rank, she might take notice of you again. She might take notice. A prestigious name like the East India Trading Company is hard to ignore." And it rang true in his mind. The East India Trading Company would be hard to ignore. So be it. He would work twice as hard to gain the rank of lord, and in the process… "She doesn't care for you, Cutler. I even asked her if she wanted me to tell you goodbye, but she told me not to tell you. She doesn't love you." Of course, Mercer was spitting all lies. Salena had wanted to tell him goodbye so desperately, but when Mercer threatened her at gunpoint, she had shut her pretty little mouth. So he would twist Cutler into a cold-hearted murderer, whilst he made Salena out to be the bad guy. _

_ Cutler nodded slowly, shock setting into his body. He passed through the crowds blindly, the congratulations and fawning seeming to pass right through him. He walked down to the docks, tears pooling in his eyes as he stared out to sea. A lone horse's neigh caught his attention, and he looked towards the sound. The red mare ambled over to him, and nuzzled his face. When he didn't respond, she laid down next to him. "Red, why'd she leave?" The red mare only sighed against his face. He sat down and pulled his knees close to his chest, pulling his hat down low so that nobody could see his tears. It would mark the last time he cried in twenty some years._

_*end flashback*_

He pulled back, still frozen. He hadn't let any woman (or man) touch him in well over ten years, much less lay a kiss to his lips. He blinked a few times. Mercer stiffened. Would the truth come out? Cutler's blue eyes displayed his shock. So he said the first logical thing that came to mind. "What the heck was that for?"

"Cutler, I love you. You've always known that." Salena stepped away from him curiously. Had Mercer threatened him too?

"You don't love me. I'm not good enough for you. I never was. And I never will be. I don't love you," he muttered. Salena cocked her head to the side.

"You're spitting ridiculous lies out at me. You loved me."

"And I tried to work my way up in the East India Trading Company, so that I, Cutler Beckett, would not have to be ashamed to admit that my rank was not good enough for a Queen of Spain! I was never good enough for you! You had to leave without saying goodbye, and even had the nerve to tell Mercer not to tell me!" Salena stilled, looking at the man on the Dutchman with a furious look on her face.

"Oh, yeah, I totally said that." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Didn't I, Mercer, didn't I?" Said man looked innocent.

"That's right. You said that, wench." Salena steeled her nerve for a fury of words that were getting ready to explode from her mouth.

"Liar!" She yelled. No one had ever seen her lose it like that. "You lied to him! You destroyed everything!"

"You and your sister were in my way. It couldn't be helped," Mercer said simply. Cutler looked confused.

"What's going on?"

"Stay out of it!" Mercer yelled at him. "This conniving wench is trying to steal your power away while you're weak."

"Cutler, listen to me, I remember that day clear as any day I'm with you. Why? Because I told Mercer to tell you goodbye, and what did he do? What did you do, Mercer? You held a gun to my throat and told me to shut it. So I did, in fear that I would never see Beckett again. But still, thank the gods he missed when he fired." She pulled her hair away to reveal a small scar on her neck. "The bullet nicked me… and hit a crewman instead. Unfortunately, he didn't survive." Cutler looked to Mercer slightly, noticing he'd pressed his lips in a tight line. The man was calculating something right now. "I'd love nothing more than to rip him to shreds. Because, Mr. Mercer, I'd like to let you in on a little secret that I've known about for several years now. You see, we caught that spy that killed my parents and boy, did he squeal, like a pig. You sir, are under arrest for the murder of his and her majesties, the former king and queen of Spain. And for attempted murder on me." Guards made to move on Mercer, but found he was pointing a gun at Salena.

"You were in my way, just like right now. In the way of all my dreams." He pulled another gun on Cutler. "And I was always second best. So what if I lied? You're a heartless murderer, now. No way she'll actually marry you now. So what if I did kill your parents, Miss Chavez? You're still a freak, and I'm still in control of this little game. Pawns can be sacrificed. And if I kill you both, then I will take care of both the companies." Jacob stepped in front of Salena.

"I can't allow you to do that, sir." A new voice piped in. Salena looked behind her, only to have a gun pressed to the back of her neck. "Now come on, Salena, be a good girl. Come marry the king."

"In your dreams!" She cried out, whirling around and kicking the gun out of his hand. "Dakota Beckett." He recovered and grabbed her wrist so tightly it would bruise.

"Your company belongs to ME!" He cackled, dragging her with him. She dug in her heels with every step he took.

"You cannot destroy the company. If you take control, it will ruin everything." He smacked her harshly to get her to shut up.

"And I'm the King of Spain. Big deal, Salena. You lost. Now come on, the king is waiting for you."

"For now!" Cutler yelled. Dakota turned his attention to his younger brother.

"A pathetic little pipsqueak like you becoming king? Now that's absurd, but since you mention that you're a threat, I might as well eliminate that threat." He let go of Salena and put a gun to Cutler's head. "Just one shot. Salena, if you make one move, I'll shoot him." She stopped advancing towards him.

Cutler's eyes widened in fear, and he looked to Salena for help. She was momentarily in the same state as him before her eyes narrowed and a small smirk formed on her face. So he wanted to play dirty, eh? Well, she'd give him the fight of his life.

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><p>Cheers to my dear fans. I was supposed to put this chapter up last night and I lost internet connection, so anywho. Go Beckett fangirls! Boo to Mr. Mercer. And down with the kings of Spain and England. Hurrah!<p> 


	15. Chapter 15

I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean or Lord of the Rings.

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><p>She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. The two water swords materialized in her hands. She brought up a wall of water into a dome around the Endeavor and froze it to a foot thick. "Your opponent is me, Dakota Beckett." She hissed, almost silently. She waved the others off. He charged her, sword drawn and she calmly parried the attack. (Yeah, I don't do fight scenes very well.)<p>

"There will only be one winner here. And that will be me," he laughed off her attacks. "And archery is a peasant's…" he choked, as the arrow pierced the skin under his heart.

"Sport. Only your brother is allowed to say that to me. Apparently, it's also really good for killing people." Dakota fell the deck, writhing and squirming in pain, as he tried to dislodge the arrow.

"You're trying to kill me? How cruel of you? What about your sister?" He choked, blood falling out of his mouth.

"How cruel of you to steal my company and try to marry me off to the King of England. Here's my answer for you in the matter. No, if I'm going to marry anyone, I'm going to marry your brother."

"That dirty rat? He's nothing but a pathetic loser." Salena jumped on top of him and punched him square in the jaw, using a water infusion to break it. He howled in pain.

"Yes, and you bullied him. Just like your father did. And guess what, I don't care if I kill you, because you've tried to have me assassinated so many times that I've lost count." There was a definite fear in his eyes. Fear of death. Or fear of losing to a woman. Salena took her water sword and shortened it to a dagger. Heartlessly, she plunged it into his chest, hearing him heave out gurgling breaths as blood welled up in his mouth and spilled over. It was done. She rose from the scene and took in her crew's startled eyes. "Put him back on his ship. It's where he belongs. Take the valuables from it and sink her." The ice wall around the Endeavour fell so that the crew of the Black Pearl could see what just happened. Their mouths were hanging upon slightly. "Let this be a lesson to all of you, pirate or not. This is what happens when you cross me." She cursed him under her breath and looked to Jacob. Yes, she had just killed his brother, but she had assumed that the two weren't fond of each other either. There was barely any emotion in his eyes, only a slightest bit of relief.

"Perhaps, we misunderstood and underestimated you," Will said, fear edging into his voice.

"You misunderstand everything about me, Master Turner. You think I'm the pretty, little, snotty queen of Spain. That's my sister. And the man she married, well, he had a nice demise." Some of her crew members snickered at that. "You see, Dakota Beckett, has been terrorizing the seas for quite some time now. And maybe it doesn't apply to you, but it applies to me. The man was trying to take over my business, which as you know keeps the majority of the pirate lords out of my business. But I think I've stated that enough times. Gentlemen, ladies, please… get the pirates off of my back. What I do with the East India Trading Company is none of your business, but I can assure you that it will be profitable."

"What of Mercer?" Cutler asked softly. Said man was pointing a gun at Cutler still. Salena took a few steps forward, enough to put herself in front of him as a barrier.

"Shoot away," she murmured in an equally soft manner. Cutler tensed up.

"Why protect me? I am but a mere lord. You are queen of Spain. I do not deserve your protection."

"Perhaps not. But just as Norrington's father threatened to shoot his own horse, so I will stand by you as your best friend betrays you."

"But I'm not a horse."

"Indeed not. I have Alistair for that. There's a special circle of hell that reserved for traitors and murderers. And he is about to enter it in three… two… one." She turned her back as Jones made the squelching noise that she knew meant he was strangling the poor fool. She shuddered at the sound. Even her two guards, Haldir and Jacob averted their eyes. She had no pity for the murderers and traitors, and the lack of it made her merciless. Yet, she could not staunch the sight of a man being killed by Jones. She truly fit the definition of an enigma, a mystery. "We must go. Madame Chavez-Beckett will be mourning her loss. It is my duty as her sister to comfort her, and it is my duty to my people to restore the throne to its rightful owner. We should especially leave before the King of England finds out I'm here. I have no jurisdiction in these waters." She laughed nervously.

"But I do, milady." Cutler gave a short bow to Salena, kissing her hand. He turned to give orders to his men.

"I will not have you bow to me, Cutler. Nein. I will not have it."

"Your wish is my command, milady." She took his hand in hers.

"Call me Sal." He shook his head.

"Your wish is my command, Salena." The name rolled off his lips gracefully. Sal looked at him and sighed. He was making her fall in love all over again. A slight blush crept over her cheeks.

"Yes, but do be careful. There are warrants out for you as well." He nodded.

"I am aware of that. I will station Norrington in my absence as it appears I have been stripped of my position." Salena rolled her eyes.

"Come with me." She motioned to Beckett who followed her willingly, both Haldir and Jacob following behind.

"What are we doing?" He asked, following her in to the captain's quarters. She smiled.

"It's nice to be a queen of Spain, not having to follow that many sets of rules and regulations. Being that I'm also the Lady of the South Storm Trading Company, I have a few privileges, one of them being bypassing the King of England's approval and working directly with you." Cutler smirked.

"You want to merge the companies together." Salena grinned.

"Isn't it nice being privileged?"


	16. Chapter 16

(Note: Ok, here's my explanation for not posting in like… forever. I just moved in to college and have started classes; plus I have the worst case of writer's block, which means… I'm in desperate need of some suggestions and criticism on my story. So underneath this story, yep down there, is a box for reviews so please please, send me some stuff. I have no idea where to take this story. All I know is that Cutler and Salena will get married, probably in secret, and somehow have to reclaim the throne. But I will gladly accept any suggestions for the rest of the story. Idk… whatever you guys want. NO LEMONS/LIMES. I don't consider myself a sexual-themed writer, and I will refuse any requests for sex scenes. This is 1700s England for Kami's sakes! All they cared about was cleavage. Okay, I'm done ranting about that.)

"He's gonna get so upset." Salena shrugged at Beckett's comment.

"Eh, you're talking to me like I supposed to care about the crap that comes out of that man's mouth." Beckett looked to her, a bit wide eyed. Salena shrugged again, drawing up some documents.

"Damn."

Jacob snorted. "My brother fell in love with an educated spitfire that isn't afraid to shoot a gun and swears at her crew when she's upset. And most of the time, she swears in Spanish, rarely in English."

"Or in Elvish," Haldir interjected. Salena muttered something under her breath in Elvish that caused Haldir to laugh. "You shouldn't."

Salena rolled her eyes. "Surely you jest?"

"You just took a man's life, Salena. Doesn't it bother you?" Haldir asked.

"After his multiple assassination attempts on me? Why would it? The rat got what he deserved." Cutler came to her side.

"What will you do about the King of the England?" He asked softly.

"The treaty was destroyed by Dakota Beckett's death. His ship and body were sunk by an English ship. We go to war to avenge the death of King Chavez-Beckett."

"But…"

"We hold the jokers and the aces, Cutler. _The Black Pearl, The Flying Dutchman, The Endeavor, The Outlaw Queen, The Centurion, _and_ The Queen Anne's Revenge._ What have we to fear but fear itself? It's over, Beckett. It's done. It's done."

Cutler shook his head. "I don't understand. I must have missed something. You say the names of these ships like they mean something to you, but they're just ships. In reality, they're just floating prisons." Salena chuckled.

"Oh my dear boy. You truly are a man of the law. To a pirate, these ships mean everything. The Black Pearl, the fastest ship this side of the Caribbean, and The Centurion coming in at a close second. Piracy's flagships, my dear Beckett. The Endeavor and the Outlaw Queen, the biggest, baddest guns that England and Spain can produce. Each ship loaded to the brim with weapons, cannons, and enough gunpowder and supplies to sustain an army. And then we have the Flying Dutchman and The Queen Anne's Revenge. Hell itself couldn't stop me now. We've got the two most cursed ships in the Caribbean and two equally cursed, brutal, and bloodthirsty captains to go with 'em. Welcome to the Brethren Court, love." She mock bowed to Beckett, and Haldir and Jacob only chuckled.

"I'm assuming that you two were introduced in some sort of similar way." Cutler snipped. Haldir snorted.

"I wish. I was laid into for letting a woman into my battalion after a battle, in which she saved my lowly behind. I was welcomed into hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, when I was stood up to pre battle, and told to keep my mouth shut if I wanted to live." He chuckled. Salena turned.

"I don't quite remember it that way, Captain Haldir." Cutler looked to Jacob.

"I met my wife through her. Enough said. It's a long story, little brother. Perhaps another time." Cutler looked peeved enough at the "little brother" comment, but said nothing, choosing to hold his tongue.

"Salena? Your plans, milady?" He asked, taking his mind from his jesting brother. She was currently seated at her desk.

"Bring me Jack, Barbossa, Jones, and Mrs. and Mr. Turner, Jacob."

"Yes ma'am." He said obediently, seeing that she was not pleased with him at the moment. Haldir leaned over the side of the desk.

"So… who gets the Endeavour?" Salena looked to Cutler, who was distracted by the scene outside the window. "You're kidding, love." Haldir whispered. "You can't trust him."

"Haldir, I've known this man longer than I have you. He's already changed."

"Let Jacob take the Endeavor."

"Jacob is not a man fit to control a cannon heavy ship like the Endeavor. Cutler knows this ship. Like the back of his hand."

"That ship is compensation for something." Salena stood suddenly, her hand on Haldir's throat.

"A word with you… Alone!" She said harshly, pushing the chair over in the process as she walked the elf out to the door. As soon as the door was shut, "That was out of line, Haldivi." He winced at the use of his elven name.

"I don't trust him. And I don't think you should either."

"Then you will bring your concerns to me in private, but you nor any crew will address the matter in front of him. I will not have you nor anyone label an accusation at a man who is trying to change. Like or not, Haldir, this man was once my intended, and in my heart, he still is. He may be trying to pick of the pieces of his own life, but I can assure you, Cutler Beckett is a driven man who knows what he wants, and pursues it. Be careful what you say. His true anger is not something you wish to tamper with."

Haldir sighed. To him, the whole Beckett lot wasn't to be trusted. Sure, Jacob was a nice guy, and his family was precious, but the whole thing of turning a law man into a pirate seemed a little risky. Haldir preferred to stay out of a situation that would otherwise compromise his morals. He never helped Salena during a raid, until now, when she needed his blacksmithing skills and impeccable aim with a bow. On top of that, she needed Lord Elrond's help as a healer, and if Elrond was here, and indeed his ship still tied onto the Outlaw Queen, then perhaps just this once.

"Talon, I will always stand as your support."

"I'm not asking you to compromise, Haldir. I know you don't support piracy. But the kings are wrong. For once, piracy is justice. Perhaps one day you'll come to see it as such."


End file.
